MMOG possible?

[talent3d]

Seeing the network limit is 64 players, im guessing there is no mmog capabilites without source? Can Raknet or Smartfox be used with UDK? I know Unity can use Smartfox without source code. TIA.

[FilRip]

I think the best way to make MMO with UnrealEngine is to code your own server.
Not "connect" players with the "network" of UnrealEngine, but with your own code.

You make code to send info to your own server (like position of this client), and reverse, make code to pickup info from your own server, like position of players (and so : place a spawn/actor client side where there are).

Then you can make your own server with what language you want/prefer.

LineAge 2 from NCSoft in UE2(2.5?) is made like that for example.

[ambershee]

The answer is no. It's not possible. You also cannot access the internal engine networking code in order to write your own servers.

[Brexer]

Woudnt it be possible to "hax" a huge server, meaning since the client already have internel networking, to create a server that allows more then, lets say 32 players to connect.

If its your own server code, having 100 or 1000 players and sending then to clients via own server code should work (without knowing the internal networking code in UE3), but the client code might be locked to certain amount of actors, i dont know that ofcourse.

Biggest (if possible) issue might be encryption ect though, without source or scripting access to the networking engine.

Keep in mind here, im noobie to UE3 engine at the moment, but i did write tons of networking and server application before, so its just a few idea's :)

[ambershee]

That would be tricky, as the Unreal Engine's networking model isn't as simple as just 'client and server'.

[Steve Polge]

I think the best way to make MMO with UnrealEngine is to code your own server.
Not "connect" players with the "network" of UnrealEngine, but with your own code.

You make code to send info to your own server (like position of this client), and reverse, make code to pickup info from your own server, like position of players (and so : place a spawn/actor client side where there are).

Then you can make your own server with what language you want/prefer.

LineAge 2 from NCSoft in UE2(2.5?) is made like that for example.

Yes, you could do something like this using the TCPLink functionality. http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/TcpLink

[pacerx]

Yes, you could do something like this using the TCPLink functionality. https://udn.epicgames.com/Three/TcpLink

That link is inaccessible.

[Steve Polge]

http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/TcpLink

[aeonflame]

Unfortunately still not accessible. It requires a licensee username and password. There seem to be many pages that might contain useful UDK info that aren't accessible. Are some of the more general documentation permissions going to be modified now the UDK is available?

Some examples of items that seem like they could be useful:
https://udn.epicgames.com/Three/ConfigurationFiles (I'd really like to see this one, to see if I can move around the directory structure a bit to make it more feasible to use version control)
https://udn.epicgames.com/Three/MasteringUnrealScriptTableOfContents
https://udn.epicgames.com/Three/ScriptProfiler (not sure if this is included with the UDK, but it would be nice if it was)
https://udn.epicgames.com/Three/UnrealFrontend (this is included, though I realise the licensee copy has many more options)

There are probably a few more, but those are the ones I can recall.


As a note, I see that the link is actually available at http://udn.epicgames.com/Three/TcpLink.html - you need the .html on the end if you're not a licensee

[elmuerte]

I wouldn't get my hopes up for creating a MMOG like most of the well known MMOG. The most probable MMOG game you could create is using the realtime 3D power of UE3 for instanced "dungeons" with a max of 64 players per instance. The massive world outside world would have to be down in a more simple fashion using the TcpLink functionality. In this simple massive world you wouldn't have true realtime gameplay, but more like a simple avatar support and some chatting. Think of it as a more visual IRC client.

[Iron_Mala]

You can aways use any Server side code using TcpLink class but, for MMOs, I real suggest to you take an look on Atlas from Epic Games China here (http://www.epicgameschina.com/tech/tech-atlas_features.html).

Regards...

Gutemberg

[talent3d]

You can aways use any Server side code using TcpLink class but, for MMOs, I real suggest to you take an look on Atlas from Epic Games China here (http://www.epicgameschina.com/tech/tech-atlas_features.html).

Regards...

Gutemberg

Dont think this is affordable for most indie devs, if we could buy this i dont think we would even be in this forum. Requires normal licensing, looks interesting though , thanks.

[Deranged]

Basically splitting your game up into zones like WoW. But the zones could be smaller, holding 64 people, still visible, only you need a portal to go to the next section. And then it loads..and loads...and ppl complain why does this game always have loading times?

Would probably give an MMO less lag issues too. Yes 10 thousand people in one city is cool but you can still have that as one big map connected by smaller maps.

[Coma]

The problem is really the loading, as said above... maybe if there's a way to stream instead.

[Solid Snake]

The main problem I found with TCPLink back when I was experimenting with this idea of shards in UnrealEngine 2 was that it was just very, very slow and choppy. UDPLink would be more ideal. Still, it's plausible to get 'something' like a MMO, but certainly not like a certain one that seems to be more addictive than crack.

[Coma]

It's slow, you say? Gasp. They need to make it so you can import your own modules, as in Java. Is it really that slow that it'll keep you from making a WoW-style MMO (where there is no targeting reticle, and movement is done through "start moving in a straight line, with slope X")?

[Solid Snake]

To do this would mean opening up the UDK to allow us C++ programmers interface directly with the engine. This further blurs the line between full licensees and UDK developers (and may even make the point of being a full licensee pointless!)

[Coma]

Then here's hoping they at least bother to improve on the important modules like TCPLink...

[Deranged]

Yeah. Go make enough content for an MMO with more than 64 players and when you return maybe that license / atlas will be fundable.

Who says you can't start designing your mmo now? I'd be happy to have 10 others in my game during developement.

[Coma]

Because there's no guarantee UDK will ever be able to support a MMO, so for all you know it's wasted effort.

[dra6o0n]

But huxley and AVA by ijji are made using the Unreal 3 Engine to power it, so it's possible for a MMOG...

Well a Multiplayer Online Gamer rather than MMOG which has "Massively" in it...

Oh and Continent of the Ninth in korea is made with the Unreal 3 engine too, and that is a Action RPG with towns that supports large scale amounts of players (ingame on the other hand supports instances though)...

Either way, a non-instanced area for players to enter and fight may not work well...

So much for zombie Action MOG?

[wilder]

You guys saw Blue Mars? Those peeps are creating a technology platform for indies using CryEngine 2... Virtual Worlds with MMORPG features...

[Solid Snake]

But huxley and AVA by ijji are made using the Unreal 3 Engine to power it, so it's possible for a MMOG...Anything is possible when you have access to integrate your own C++. The UDK does not allow you to do this.

[Deranged]

Because there's no guarantee UDK will ever be able to support a MMO, so for all you know it's wasted effort.

So everything you build in udk cannot be used later once you upgrade to a full license? :eek:
But yeah, if you do put major time into this and realize no one will fund your uber demo it might be better to find another solution.

[ambershee]

It can. But you can't develop an MMO using UDK. Given that you can't write any MMO features using UDK, you'd get literally nothing done until you got that full license.